1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to troughs for use in watering livestock, and more particularly to a trough that automatically maintains a selected volume of water and substantially resists damage to its operative components by livestock.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Watering troughs are widely used by livestock producers who raise their livestock in grazing paddocks that do not have natural water sources such as streams or ponds. The use of water troughs is also frequently used for the exclusion of livestock from natural bodies of water. Some water troughs take the form of a simple holding tank that is placed in the pasture and must be manually filled with water that is brought to the trough from a remote source. Some troughs are positioned adjacent to a water source that must be manually actuated, such as a hand pump that is coupled with a well. However, the manual labor required to deliver water to the troughs expends valuable time and, depending on the location of the trough, can be a significant inconvenience.
Prior art methods have attempted to automate livestock watering systems. However, those attempts typically resulted in watering troughs that were either too complex and costly to operate or troughs that repeatedly failed to perform their automated function. Oftentimes, the failure of an automated water trough is due to component damage caused by livestock or the elements. As livestock repeatedly come into contact with water supply lines, valves and other such structures, the automated system invariably becomes damaged and fails over time. Harsh winters and dry, hot summers will also wear down component systems, if not causing them to fail suddenly.
Accordingly, what is needed is an automated watering system for livestock that is comprised of structural components that resist the damaging effects that livestock and the elements can have on such systems. However, such an automated watering system should also be flexible in use as well as simple and inexpensive to manufacture.